I have been vacationing in The Abacos almost annually since 1973. The earlier times almost exclusively at the Green Turtle Club on the Cay of the same name. (Map in Relation to U.S.) That was just months prior to their independence from Great Britain. The Abacos fought to remain part of the British Commonwealth but failed in their bid to do so. However Turks and Caicos the two most southeasterly islands, remained under the british crown.

The 70's was the era of Mackey Airlines, Out Island Airlines and others. Things have changed considerably since those times. Back in the 70's, there were no cars on the cays and only a couple hundred local residents on Green Turtle. By 2000 there are over 600 not including tourists. Electricity was only provided for the village of New Plymouth by the town generator. The two resorts at the other end of the cay had their own generators, but no matter where you stayed power was intermittent at best. For this reason, a flash light was a necessary item and usually the first thing we packed. Eventually the north end of Green Turtle was wired to the town plant then in 1997 Green Turtle started getting it's electricity directly from the mainland of Great Abaco.

The New Plymouth Inn was then owned by Harold Lowe, and managed by Bill and Donna Rossbach. Mr. Lowe sold the New Plymouth Inn to Walter Davies, who in turn appointed his son Wally Jr. as innkeeper. In the meantime the Rossbachs would go on to become the managers at the G.T.C. Around the same time, Walter Davies also purchased the Bluff House and set up his son Leslie and daughter Melissa as Managers. Wally Jr. still owns the Inn a/o 2007 however closed and for sale for a couple years. Donna and Bill continued running the Green Turtle Club through the early 90' for the Charleswoth family only now with their heirs now coming aboard. About the same time, an additional managing couple, Julie and Chris Farrington were brought aboard to assist the Rossbachs.

The Charlesworth's son-in-law Roger eventually took full management responsibility and over saw the departure of Donna, Bill, Julie and Chris. The happenings from this point forward pertaining to the GTC and the Bluff House is the stuff a novel. Yet through it all remained Bartender Debbie, who in 2006 celebrated her 25th anniversary in that position.


As few as 35 years ago, can still be described as "The good ole days in the Bahamas". Water in the outlying cays was exclusively obtained from the rain caught in cisterns and sometimes barged in during drought. Today you will find desalinization (reverse osmosis) equipment at the resorts and marinas. For marinas guests, water can cost 30 cents a gallon - a pretty penny to wash down a 40 foot yacht.

1st visit 1973. Shown: Mackey Airlines DC6 at the old Treasure Cay Airport. - That's me on a later visit 1977 also at TCB.
For some flying tales of those early days - see Flotsam & Jetsam.

Radio was and still is a primary means of communications, only now VHF marine radios have replaced CB's. Phone lines were limited and calls had to be made at the telephone company usually high on a hill away from the water and where the reception best. Time improved the situation but still you'll seldom will you see a phone in your hotel room. Then things changed abruptly in the 90's which brought cellular, and is wide spread today, although not generally accessible from US cell companies without advance notice.

The early 80's saw the rise of those massive satellite dishes adjacent to a charming little Bahamian house. Now-a-days, Direct TV has replaced those unsightly arrays with small dishes. Then in 1996 high tech really arrived in the Abacos with the arrival of Marsh Harbour's first internet site. As of Spring ‘04 wireless internet service became available! And today, webcams have sprouted up at numerous locations in the Abacos. ALL the latter was made possible by single handed efforts of "everybody's friend", the late Sinclair Frederick who passed away in 2005. During the late 90's with the aid of Mr. Cecil Mills, the Abacos realized its first radio station in Marsh Harbour - Radio Abaco, 93.5 FM. It's A low power station that just barely reaches Green Turtle Cay. (Listen: Fun Sites)

The flag to the left was the British Colonial Flag prior to independence which was replaced by the flag to the right.
The new Crest or Great Seal of the Bahamas, is also shown and features on the back of most of the Bahamian Dollars above.

Some Early Photos: Above, the New Plymouth Inn. Left, An old wooden Bolo. And four cute town girls - Rose McIntosh, Heather Davies, Maxine McIntosh (now deceased) and Linda Davis. Maxine's parents (Alphonso & Betty) owned the Seaview Restaurant the first on GTC and a regular haunt of ours especially when our kids were with us. In later years around '88 Maxine, now in her late teens ran her mom & pops restaurant. Believe it or not, there was even a story about the Seaview in the NY Times which I sent to her framed and which proudly hung up.

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For some serious reading on the Abacos, pick up a copy of “The History of an Out Island and it's cays” by Steve Dodge. Its available throughout the islands or at his website White Sound Press Or for other books and fun reading, Sandy's Abaco Book Reference.

Abaco Live Magazine has recently updated it's website (2006).
Definately worth a read is their new page: Abaco History in a Nut Shell.

Some folks asked me about my life's path that led me to the Abacos and the significance of Motu Iti.
I've put together a short personal history: Sandy Estabrook's Abaco Biography,

Other Books & Fun Reading on Abaco History

Return to Sandy's Abaco Guide

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